CC's past, how it all began
by Mandjula
Summary: C.C's mother come to visit her daughter and her presence opens old scars C.C's tried to forget for over 20 years. The opportunity for Niles to discover why C.C is more bitter than sweet.
1. Chapter 1

C.C's past, how it all began  
Classic things : I don't own anything  
English is not my mothertongue so I'm sorry for mistakes ;)

C.C's mother come to visit her daughter and her presence opens old scars C.C's tried to forget for over 20 years.

CHAPTER 1 : An unexpected visit

It was a wonderful morning for C.C ! She woke up in a good mood because of what happened the previous day. Maxwell was looking at her from his armchair and saw that his business partner was pretty different. Of course she was still concentrated, obsessed by her job but for once she was reading without a frown.

"C.C, what's wrong with you ?" Asked Mr. Sheffield  
"Nothing ! Why are you asking ? Isn't it a beautiful day ?  
_ Ok, my mistake, I'll say it differently then : What's wrong with you being happy ?"  
C.C smiled and replied  
"Well, I haven't seen Niles for a long time, I never asked for more !"

Suddenly Niles interrupted.

"When we talk about demons... Probably I have a bad karma...  
_ When the devil is speaking, demons tends to show up, so here we are, solution for you : stop talking  
_ Demons are also supposed to follow devil's order ! Coffee now !  
_ You're SO predictable !" He answered as he putted the cup on the desk

C.C rolled her eyes but anyway she still looked serene. Yesterday was the last day of her therapy. She was ready to face life without any alcohol, without any psycholog, she felt strong and when she was putting Niles down she felt even stronger.  
Miss Fine, kids, Niles, Miss Fine, Niles again, everybody disturbed her in her job but she didn't care till...

"Mister ! This is horrible ! There is a clone of Miss Babcock in the living room ! Is it a nightmare ! Pinch me, I need to know if I'm awake !  
_ It would be with pleasure but you'd like it too much" Answered a bitter C.C

"Niles, we are seriously working, can you wait the end of the day for your childish pranks ?" Said Maxwell, irritated

"I'm serious, she said "I'd like to see Chastity right now BUTLER BOY and you'd better hurry... What a bitch ! Well she didn't say "what a bitch", this is what I'm saying to...  
_ Niles, I think we understood !"

C.C was shocked... She couldn't say a word.

"You should be happy that someone, even someone so dreadfull, want to see you Miss Babcock. It's rare enough to be noticed"

But the queen of ice was like a statue. She couldn't reply. She wasn't really listening.  
"Well, I have the last word !" Said Niles

"C.C, what are you waiting for ? Your visitor is waiting !  
_ Yes Maxwell... It's just... I haven't seen my mother for over 20 years now and it was in purpose"

She left the office, Niles followed her.

"Chastity ! Can't believe you made me wait so long !  
_ Sorry. I have some work as you can guess. If you had call...  
_ You'd never have answer the phone !  
_ Yes, I wouldn't have answered" Said C.C honestly

"What do you want ?" She added  
"Visit my wonderfull, grown-up and still single daughter, is it forbidden ?  
_ I wish it was..."

Niles couldn't hold a smile.

"Chastity, honey, you should have more authority, calm down the butler ! You know what happens when domestic are...  
_ Do NOT talk about this, NEVER, this is my life ! Stop talking about it or I kick you out of here and you'll see the extent of my authority !"  
"The blond frowned again, like she used to do.

Niles wanted to say "Seems like the witch turn into a dragon" but he holded it because in 20 years of "common life"he never saw C.C in such a state of anger.

If he didn't know she was unable to feel, he would believe than Miss Babcock was about to cry. Suddently, she calmed down and became as cold as usual.

"Let's go back to the point, what are you doing here ?  
_ Listen... Gregory and I... We want to divorce. He's getting way to old and grumpy for me ! So, I want to keep the house we have in Monaco, the appartment in Washington of course... Well the list is too long, let's sum up : I want everyting !  
_ Oh my god mom ! I'm so surprised ! I thought you were the kind of person who wanted nothing but love" Answered C.C with sarcasm  
"Don't you dare ! You changed so much Chastity, I don't recognise my sweet little daughter anymore"

Niles was laughing inside imagining C.C being "sweet and little"

"Yes, indeed, people change in twenty years, except you, and Niles but who cares about Niles..."

They exchanged a glower. The blond joked because she needed to replace her present in this horrible discussion she was having. She was really surprised to notice that Niles presence was good for her in that terrible moment.

"So, as I was saying before you started being so impolite to me, I need a testimony from you... Go to the court, say that Gregory was a bastard who hitted me more than once and I'll dispear...  
_ It's very tempting to think about you disapearing but I'm not going to do it. I don't even know that "Gregory" of yours and when I needed you for court, you weren't there. Go away/p  
_ I'll come back C.C, until you agree. I'm persistent.  
_ So cockroaches are !" 

The blond was so released to see her mother going away ! She sat on the couch, closed her eyes.

"I'm quite offended there is someone in the world that you hate more than me" Said Niles, almost gently, sitting carefully near his ennemy.

"Oh no, don't worry, I hate you more"

They exhanged a smile. The atmosphere was bittersweet again. With Caroline, C.C's mother, it was just bitter.

"Why did you refuse to help her ? Do you have a conscience or it's just to annoy her ?  
_ Both, I guess...  
_ And because, as you said she wasn't there when you needed it... Why did you need her testimony ?/p  
_ I was quite an offender when I was a teen, couple of shopliftings, it's just symbolic you know and moreover, it's none of your business !"

She left, letting him alone, locked in her inner shell again.

Niles was feeling sorry for C.C and a little bit happy for him, for them, for what they could become... After all, she standed for him when her mother said that she should calm "the butler" down.

Was she offended this way because Caroline touched someone C.C liked ? He smiled, dreaming out loud. He admitted to himself a long time ago that between C.C and him was something. First of all, a huge sexual tension... So many times he thought about put her against a wall, kiss her hard, touch her under her strict clothes... He had some adventures of course but all of this was so bland comparing to this flame, no, not a flame, a fire !

C.C was at home... Thinking of these years... She would have kill for a whiskey but she forced herself not to drink again. She mentally saw herself as she used to be. She had really long hair, her mother repeated her all the time that it would be a crime to cut them. That's exactly why she did it. They were living in a big appartement in Washington D.C, only Caroline and C.C because Henri left the house. He came up in the middle of the night one day, apologized to his daughter saying.

"I love you Chastity but I have to go because I can't have you without your mother and I can't live with her anymore, I'm sorry. Please princess write me a letter when you'll be an adult. I still hope I can hold your arm at your marriage.

_ If you love me, why are you going away ?

_ Because I'm not a happy person Chas, and unhappy persons, well, the least they can do is leaving others be positive..."

That's why she never gave her heart away, because she was a unhappy person just doing the least she could do. She never wrote him any letter. Why for ? For him to see she was even worse than him ? She had no perfect life, no perfect marriage like Sara did with Maxwell ?  
She was crying so much this night when her dad went away...

She even woke up the butler, Georges.

"Miss C.C, is there anything I can do for you ?  
_ Call him please, make him come back !"

She was just a 11 year old kid who couldn't stop crying. Georges hugged her for so long that his shirt was wet of her tears.

"He shouldn't come back Miss C.C, focus on who is there for you, who will always be. I will. I promise."

After this horrible evening Georges was the one who cared for her, listenned to her sorrow, be the dad Henri has never been.

Caroline forbade C.C to be in touch with Georges.

"A butler is a butler !"

She suffered because she really loved Henri but she couldn't explain anything to her daughter, she was mad at everyone and mad at Chastity because she was so like her father...

Sheffield's Mansion, the day after

Niles was walking in the corridor trying to reach the kitchen when he heard CC's voice and decided to reach her.

"Allo ? This is Miss Babcock, I... Christ sake Niles ! Can't you stop stalking at me !"  
She hanged up the phone.

"I know your life is so pathetic you need to care about others but still !

_ Were you calling your horrible, terryfing and very very old mother !  
_ No, I have enough wrikles to see when you're around !"

"NIIIILES !"

Maxwell's voice forced Niles to join his boss at the office and it was good because he had nothing to reply... But, on his way to see his boss, he had the idea to take another phone of the house, he wanted to listen what she said and to whom !

"I know I said I didn't need therapy anymore but I changed my mind  
_ C.C I thought you were finally happy, how did eveything change ?  
_ My so called mom came up with a bag of bad memories...  
_ So, Monday, at 4 ?  
_ Yes, as usual..."


	2. Chapter 2 : The Deal

Niles would sell his soul to the devil just to be a little mouse right now and know what C.C was saying to his psycholog... _It would have been a job for me,_ he tought. After all, if relations between C.C and him weren't so particular he could have listenned to her, be a kind of confident to her...

"Oh Niles you're here again doing nothing ! Please call C.C, she's late nearly 20 minutes now !

_ Sir, I don't have her personnal number

_ Well... Me either ! I just realised she always was the one who called and the number is hidden..."

They suddently heard the noise of a car parking near Sheffield's mansion. Niles ran to the window, maybe too fast ?

C.C was running too, Niles oppened the door

"Congratulations Miss Babcock, you won the marathon in woman category but be carefull I might say something about your real gender !

_ Oh Niles you don't need to be jealous because everyone on this earth have more virility than you !"

"It's enough you two ! C.C you are late !

_ Maxwell I... was busy and the traffic was horrible !

_ I need some comptability to be done, let's work"

Niles found an opportunity to win the battle

"I don't know, no one could ever count on her Sir"

They disappeared and Niles suddently felt lonely... Without Maxwell they would have talked, C.C and him...

The telephon rang and the butler was standing here, not hanging up... At the second ring he decided himself to answer.

"Hello, hello"

Niles recognized Carol's voice

"Hello, hello" he answered trying to imitate C.C the best he could

"Chastity ! Why are you answering the phone ? Some people are paid to do this... Anyway, if you could give me your personnal number it would be easier !

 _Easier to harass her ?_ He tought

_ I know you hate me for what happened but I warned you and you just didn't listen !

_ I'm sorry Miss Babcock is not here

_ You again ! Tricky Butler ! Why don't you mind your own business ?

_ I don't know, I'm always glad to see how rich families are, deep inside so disfonctionnal"

He hung up and walked fast to Maxwell's office. He was very surprised to see C.C alone there

"Witch... Your mother called... Where is Mister Sheffield ?

_ On the terasse with... who ever this kid is... Damn I would sell my soul to the Devil if he could make my mother go out of my life !

_ You can't sell something to yourself you know !

_ Why the hell have I said it so loud ? As if you might understand...

_ I do. I would sell my soul to the Devil as well if you could disappear !"

He hated himself for saying that. He didn't mean it al all ! Everytime he was affraid to see her go and tell him "As you wanted, you'll never see my again".

"Oh Dust Buster, you have not even a middle soul to sell ! A cheap Dust Buster soul..."

He smiled and answered :

"Touché... I let you win because you're obviously not in the mood

_ I'm never in the mood for a face like yours, who could be ?"

She regretted to say this as well. She never made any confidences to anyone (for free) since her teenage period. Niles would say it was ages ago. She needed just a little break but she couldn't give herself this pause because they had the habbit to be bitter with each other.

Niles was thinking about _"I know you hate me for what happened"_ ,

Carol's sentence touched his curiosity, he wanted to know C.C's dirty little secrets, but above everything and to his own surprise, he wish he could kiss those lips... A tender kiss of support...

As Maxwell came back, Niles felt himself a coward, a stupid looser ! He was not even able to give her a sweet word ! He remembered the way she said : _"If he could make my mother go out of my life !"_ And the minute later he was waiting for Carol to answer the phone...

"Babcock residence, how may I help you ?

_ Hello Sir, I'd like to talk to Carol Babcock please, could you tell her it's important"

Carol's Butler was surprised to hear a polite voice and be called "Sir" so he got Carol in less than a minute

"C.C ? Finally ?

_ No, it's me again... Please don't hang up... I have a proposition to make...

_ Say it fast !

_ I think it would be better if we see each other one day, walls have ears

_ Alright... I hope it worth it !"

Appointment was taken. He couldn't say simple words of compassion towards C.C but he was about to do better than this, solve her problem.

C.C was at home, driking wine with Frank... Sinatra. She was always a fan. As the music was going on she heard a sentence

 _"'Cause there's no nicer witch than you..."_

As she heard the "Witch" name, Niles face came up in her mind... She was thinking about horrible things she said to him. It was very very special... Their little fights was making her feel so alive... He was her favourite ennemy... At her level of exquisit cynism.

By a hot day of spring, Carol was hiding herself with the help of glasses and hat "Don't particularly want to be seen with you !" She said.

"Well you'll have to if you accept my deal

_ Go faster ! I have better things to do !

_ I'll be the witness, I agree to give you the testimony against your future ex husband, I would say whatever you want, word by word if you let C.C alone... Probably you don't care but she was so close to be happy before you came up with this story

_ What are you waiting from my daughter ? She won't give you anything. She has nothing left to give do you know ? C.C, since she left my house, became a real selfish woman !

_ Why did she left ?

_ I protected her but she thinks she knows everything better than anyone !

_ She needed to be protected ?

_ From herself and her bad choices mostly... Don't see me as a monster, C.C was just so dumb ! Life wake her up ! She probably told you that I didn't defend her and everything but, well, you understand it wasn't possible"

Suddenly Niles understood. Carol thought that he knew things he actually didn't ! He tried something

"It was possible, we all have the choice

_ Anyway she didn't need to be so friendly with Georges ! That's why he came too far with her ! Definitely she have something with butlers ?"


End file.
